The objectives of the study are: a) to make the scale-up separation of IgY and other yolk components feasible; b) to determine the functionalities and applications of yolk co-products.
The results from this study are expected to add value to egg yolks and make IgY technology production-ready. Ideally, once the separation process is finalized, then an additional phase of research can focus on the use of IgY as an option to manage overall hen health and possibly protect against infection of diseases like avian influenza. Yolk co-products will be used to provide additional value to egg processors as they diversify their offerings of the egg products and egg-based ingredients.
The scientist working on this project is Dr. Tong Wang, professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Tennessee.